10 "1 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 TRANSCRIPT OF TAPED INTERVIEW OF CECELA BENAIDA CONDUCTED BY CORPORAL ERIC EDWARDS CASE NUMBER 08-74777 RECORDED FEBRUARY 18, 2010 TYPED FEBRUARY 26, 2010 SA - SERGEANT JOHN ALLEN CE - CORPORAL ERIC EDWARDS CM - CORPORAL YURI MELICH CB - CECELA BENAIDA Corporal Edwards Orange County Sheriff's Office in the room with.. Corporal Yuri Melich, Orange County Sheriff's Office, Sergeant John Allen, and ma'am? Cecila Benhaida. Speak up for me please... Cecila Benaida. Will you spell your name for me. CB OC-E-C-E-L-LA BHE-N-H-A-LD-A CE And your date of birth? CB Eleven/2/71 CE Today's date is 2/18/2010, it's approximately 10:50 AM. Can you raise your right hand for me please? Do you swear to tell the truth today? CB Yes. CE — Okay, and you're here freely you came here voluntarily? CB Yes. 1 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB woul10 " 2 8 14 15 16 "7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 CE cB CE cB CE cB ;cCE cB CE cB CE cB CE Okay. We'd had.. we'd done kind of a pre-interview with you. We met yesterday Sergeant Allen and | showed up on your front porch and we spoke to your sister. What's your sister's name? Krystal Holloway. I'm sorry? Krystal Holloway And Krystal um, is known to... the reason we met you was due to the Anthony homicide case investigation. You're aware of that? Yes Okay. Krystal's also know by what name? River Cruz. River Cruz. Okay. Um, you and your sister came here yesterday or the last night and we interviewed her. Um, and we had some questions for you regarding your knowledge of how your... ah, how Krystal was involved with George Anthony and the Anthony situation. And what I'd like to do is just stop talking, which is hard for me. And ah, let you explain that to us in your own words. Um, where am | starting? Ahhh At the beginning? well we'll leave that, we'll leave your visit to the jail until.. we'll come back and get that, So, just let me know what your personal knowledge of your sister um, and her involvement with the Anthony's. 2 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \wowd10 " 2 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB CE cB CE cB SA cB jcE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE CB Well, they... from my understanding they were friends and | believe it was a little more then friendship, From what I was seeing. The um, the texts, the letters, the cards, the gifts. |.. | Okay. assumed. Between her and That she... her and, her and George. |.. |. I'm assume. Alright. | assumed at that point that they had some type of affair. A physical relationship? Uh-huh. (affirmative)... Yes. Okay. Did you see George at the house, your house? Um, yes. How many times? Twice. When was that? Oh it was after | um, should | say. Pardon me? Should | say that word? It was after | came out of jail. Yeah that’s fine. Okay. Yeah please yeah after you came out of jail Yeah. 3 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB Mods,10 "1 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB cE cB CE cB CE |cB CE cB CE Okay. And that was when? Um, it was after Jan.. it was January um, like '08. Hmmm, that would've been ‘07? ‘09. ‘09 Yeah from our conversation. Right, right, right okay. Yeah, ‘cause you... you.. yeah ‘cause you'd been out about a. Ayear yes a year. Uh-huh. (affirmative) So, January ’09. Uh-huh, (affirmative) Okay. So, from January ’09 to present was it shortly after you were released that you saw George at the house twice? Or was it Yes. last week or. On no that was after | was released that he had came over. Now had your friend ah, your sister been friends with him prior to you being released from jail? This. 4 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB youd,10 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB cM cB cM She was friends with him while | was in the, in the prison, in the jail, in the jail she... | don't know if she befriended him or he befriended her. But while | was incarcerated that’s when she became friends with him, And you, when did you learn of that friendship? After | came out of jail So, while you were, while you were in the Orange County Jail you had no knowledge of your. No. your sister... Nope. and George Anthony? Okay, when you first came out how did your sister approach you and tell you that she had become involved or was friends with the Anthony's? Because | stated to her, she was asking me what | was doing in the jail and | stated to her that | was cleaning ah, my.. my job at the facility what my job was and that | happened to be feeding and talking to Casey. Casey Anthony? Yes and then she told me that, that's funny I'm friends with the father. And what did she tell you about the friendship with the father or the family what was. The same day | was released. No, no, what did she tell you? How did she meet or what. what... what kind of a friendship was it? 5 Cecela BenhaidalCase #08-74777/GB \4o410 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB cM cB cM cB cM cB cM cB cM CB cM cB She told me... she told me that they met at a tent um, something about Kid Finders Network, my sister was doing something with them and either he was standing there and that moment either.. I'm not sure what happened, but he was... he., she went over to console him. That was the first moment that they became friends. And did she say how.. how.. how hat became a friendship as opposed to just an acquaintance? How they got to know each other and what they did? Um, she was inviting him, they was inviting each other. They took the numbers down they was talking on the phone a lot and um, she told me that he had been at the house a few times, She told me that he.. she had given money a few times, Um, and she also told me that she's been over to his house And this is all before you got out of jail? Yeah and. So. and after So, by the time you got out of jail they had already established a friendship? Right. ‘And she had already started... was she giving money or loaning money, do you know? No, she was giving him money, How much money we talking about? If you're asking me | think all together | would say about, I'd say about five grand all together. 6 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \4O4lo10 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22. 23 24 25 cM cB cM cB cM cB CE CB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE And do you know what that money was suppose to be used for? Not sure. But did she tell you why she was giving him money? | couldn't understand that Did she tell you that? Um, she just would say, he didn't have any money. Oh, one time I did know that he., he asked her I think for eight hundred dollars he asked her for eight hundred. And um, there was a problem with her getting, retrieving it. And um, | think it was like a few days later she end up giving it to him. | remember that. How did she get the money that time? Um, I think it was um, either the tax or the baby.. She's got people in New York that she you know they give ‘em money. Child support? Um, not child support but the father was sending money and you know Jeff gives her money too. Just to go back. When they first met why did your sister opt to use the name River Cruz? That's um, sh... we never like our names. We was adopted. Um, she went by River that’s something that my father used to call her. | used to stare at the sky all the time so I kind of just adopted the name Sky. So, we just went with it Okay so it's nothing that she generated for this particular No occurrence? 7 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/6B \woyT10 "1 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22. 23 24 25 cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB cE cM CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB She's been that... that has always been her last... her name. River. Ws like mine, Sky. Where'd the Cruz part come from? Um, have to ask her that one. Okay. | think it’s one of the um, one it's a character. A singer or something, Okay so she just chose net to tell them her real identity. Right. She would never go under, like me, I've never, nobody really knows my name. Ok. Sorry Yuri | wanted to... No that's fine. make sure that we understood why she... And she’s still known to George is my Yeah. understanding as River. He has no idea what her real name is, He doesn't know her as Krystal Holloway. Okay. Does um, her boyfriend's name is Jeff is correct? Yes What's Jeff's last name? Allen, Jeff Allen? Uh-huh. (affirmative), 8 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \YO"S.10 " 12 13 4 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 CE cB CE cB cE cB CE cB CE cB jcE cB CE cB CE cB cE cB CE Um, was Jeff aware of the friendship with the Anthony's? He was aware of it yep But not the depth of the friendship? No. And not, | don't think that he knew about the money part either. Well, does he know now? I don't think so. Okay, ‘cause | know from conversing with her there's some... she seems to be a little reluctant to out with certain things and we're. Uh-huh. (affirmative), just trying to establish may why that is. Because probably afraid that she’s going to lose him Lose Jeff? Jeff, right Over the involvement with George? Uh-huh. (affirmative) Did she give you specifics, because it appears that she's heartbroken? That's where.. that's... that’s where | was... | was... | was believing that they had an affair. Like she never came out and said it, But the ... the reactions was everything, Like I couldn’t understand why her heart was so broken. Um, you say you saw George twice at the house. And, and um, have you been to the Anthony's home yourself? Uh-huh. (affirmative) Okay. You been there with, with ah, | Keep wanting to call her River, but Krystal? Q Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \4oN410 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 | 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 |cB CE cB CE cB CE cB cE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB Krystal yes. Okay so you visited the Anthony home with Krystal. The day that I got out, the next moming, Uh-huh. (affirmative). She took me over there to meet them. Did you. The news crew was there. They weren't home, but we was at um, she called him, she called George and he told her to come ... for us to come back later on. ‘And when we came back later on that's when I met him You got to meet George and Cindy? Um, no | think it was just George that | met that day. The following few days | think it's after is when I met, is when | met Cindy. You went back over there? Um, my sister bought her flowers. There was, there was a reason why she bought flowers, | think it was Mother's Day I'm not sure. But they were left on the um., No, Cindy., she called Cindy and asked her if she got the flowers Cindy, said no. And um, it was that the flowers were delivered two days after it was suppose to have been delivered. And when, when she finally got them that's when she called my sister and then we went over there and met them. Who would be at the home when you would visit. Normally? It was just George and her Did you ever visit the home while Casey was there? No, | didn’t know Casey. 10 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \Yoso10 " 12 13 “4 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 \ce cB CE cB cE |CB CE CB CE cB cE cB |CE cB Other then Before then Okay. | didn’t know, | didn't know them at all. | only knew them after | came out of the jail is when | knew them. Okay. So, you've never seen Casey in her home? No, Um, You had said that there was one time that you visited the Anthony home by yourself. Can you tell me about that again | went after my sister had broke down crying off of a text that she sent him and he didn’t respond to it. | took the cell phone and | sent him a text and it was not a pretty text, but I waited for his response and he didn’t. And my sister was hurt and | took the car and went over his house. And Cindy was there George wasn’t there. ‘And what happened? I knocked on the door and told her when she came to the door I told her that she was full of shit her and her family was full of shit. And | didn't appreciate what she did to my sister. And that she was lucky that | couldn't get myself in trouble anymore. She told me get off her property. What did.. did you ask her for money back or. No. did you mention the money? No, didn’t mention any of it " Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \aost10 "1 12 13 4 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cM cB cM CB cM cB cM You say you went to the house and then you said that they were full of shit What's that pertaining to? Why did you go there as opposed to just not answering the text message how's that (Inaudible). Because my sister at that point she was looking for, she was to me she was looking for him to respond to the, to the text. They were supposed to have met, he put her off like twice. And the third time that there was a text he said that he was coming, he was on his way. And um, he gave her some type of lie and found out that he never came to gate, he wasn't there and my sister was furious. That's when | took the text.. that's when I took the phone | sent him a text | sent him a text, | waited for him to say... |.. | specifically wrote something to the effect like, as much as sister did for you this is what.. this is how you repay her you can't even um, you can’t even respond to a text that's nice. And he didn't respond to my text, which pissed me off from watching my sister crying. That's why | left and went to her house. But why would you say they're full of shit as opposed to just why you stand uh, why you standing us up? ‘Cause to me that's a little bit different saying someone's full of shit Uh-huh. (affirmative), Why that you thought certain things. Just ‘cause they don't text you back and not shown up makes it. Because she was suppose to be... he was.. there was.. it was three times that he put my sister off. He put my sister off three times. That he stood her up? 12 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \Mosa10 " 12 18 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 a 22 23 24 25 cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE CB CE cB CE cB cE cB CE cB Right, he stood her up three times. After this memorial? Yes After this service? After that Okay, so, let me.. so, we stay on track. This, this um... | know what Yuri's getting at. But I'm gonna show you some images that we downloaded from the phone and they're dated um, 8/9 of 2009, Okay. Um, and if you viewed these imagines they're on page 41 of 78. Uh-huh. (Affirmative) The first image is, looks it appears to be George speaking on a podium. | snapped that shot You did? Yeah Okay can you tell me about that as we go down? The, the next, the next one is |., my sister Krystal, River and Anthony | snapped that. Image 497 | snapped that shot. Okay. | sat behind them. Them two were crying at this, in this photo them two. He was crying to her. They both were crying and | snapped that shot. 13 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \vos3,10 "1 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 CE cB CE cB cE cB CE cB cM cB cM cB Okay. The bottom one um, my sister wanted a picture of all three of us and there was a lady that was there she took the picture of all three of us. Tell me about that day. What.. where... where is that and what is that event? Um, this day was a private.. it was only maybe like 30 people, 40 people that were invited to this um, this a balloon gathering for Casey. Now there was a, there was some kind of function after that? Yes What, what happened there? Um, there was, there was um, there was a vigil and they had um, inside the church they, a few people stood up and said something. There was a preacher that was there. Um, after that ceremony we was led outside in the back and there was some balloons that they let out in memory of Case... um Caylee. Caylee. And um, after that we was all brought into another room where they had cake and um, drinks. How long after that would you say was the time when you went and confronted Cindy? Or went to confront George and then confronted Cindy? | think, | think it was about a week after that this happened. After | snapped these shots | think it was about week So, in that, in hat week time frame he stood your sister up three times? Yep. Okay 80, if that is 8/9/09 “4 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \yos410 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE CB CE cB CE CB Yeah. Okay, ‘cause I'm looking at the text on 12/16 of '08 earlier the, the year prior. Uh-huh. (affirmative), There's a text message number text number 88 from it says George. This was the. Anthony. this is the beginning | think this... yeah this was when, this was before this. Right This text was before these shots were taken. Just thinking about you, I need you... Uh-huh. (affirmative).. .. in my life. Right. Okay. Alright, so chronologically then so, to go off what Yuri is saying, this, this friendship's occurring, you're inviting to personal type family functions to include. Right. the memorials and the services and things of that nature. Right. ‘And George earlier the year prior is saying he needs her in his life. Right. But now it seems like after this service um That's when everything went down yeah 15 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \Moss”10 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 | 24 22 23 24 25 CE lee CE cM cB cB SA cB SA cB cM cB cM cB CE cB CE cB She's cut out Actually they was um... Sorry That's alright. | think I'm not sure you guys have to ask my sister, but there was one.. | think that she was supposed to give him some money and she didn't. And | believe that's what led to her and him... or him not texting her back How much money did she say? I'm thinking it was four hundred. I'm not sure, but | believe it was four hundred So, are you saying That was the last one. the money stopped and then the friendship stopped? Yeah that's why | said she was full of shit when |... | said they were full of shit not her, You guys were full of shit. Your family's full of shit Did you ever loan them any money? No It was just your sister? Yep. Where... and | asked you earlier | apologize. Where did the money come from? A varie... vary... her son's father, her boyfriend, her tax. Um, son. She had a savings account? Um, not sure see | was in jail so I'm not really sure. But um, she does get an allowance and stuff so. 16 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB Yosh10 " 12 | 13 4 15 16 17 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 CE cB CE cB CE cB CE cB CE CB CE cB CE SA From Jeff? From Jeff, she gets money from her son who's 19.. 18 um, he sends her money. The kid's father sends her money and | know that she had like | think it was twenty-three hundred from um, the tax Income tax return? Yes, Uh-huh. (affirmative). There's credit cards that she has where if you want to pull those there's the flowers that were sent. Um You said she'd given Cindy some gifts. What type of gifts were those? She bought Cindy um, a pendant a diamond um, piece that goes to her um, to a chain. It was a diamond | think it was ah, something from um, | don't know it was a diamond piece pendant. She got she bought her that and she bought... Was she upset about seeing that on television? Did she say anything to you about that? That Cindy had worn that on a particular show? I can’t remember. Okay. What did... did Cindy ever tell you at any time that she was unaware that George was getting money from your sister? No, never told me that. Cindy didn't tell you that No Okay. Um, want to go into the jail part? Before you do that | have one question about this. This cell phone, | look at the cell phone records there's a there's three Georges or there's a George Anthony and a number for George Anthony. Um, looks like it was.. 7 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \MOS710 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB SA cB SA cB SA cB SA CB SA cB SA CB CE CB CE One, there's another George.. |.. | play paddle ball Okay. And he’s my coach so. Okay so, s0, this George That's George. and this is not a number.. another number for George Anthony. It's a different George? Its. i's a J-O-R-G-E? No, this is a G-O-R... It's look here, look, look hereon page 6 and correct me. It should only... | think there should only be like 2. But my question is, do we know if this G-E-O and George and George Anthony are those three different numbers for George Anthony? Or are they three different people? Or do you know the answer? No those are three different people. Okay thank you. Uh-huh. (affirmative). Sky, before we um, | mean me, today... last night | asked you and your sister mentioned in the interview that the (Inaudible)... that George Anthony had written her letters? Yes And you guys brought one to us today. I'll. Ill get with your sister on this, we'll have her sign a property form. | just want to, this is the letter that your sister delivered us, to us today? 18 Cecela BenhaidalCase #08-74777/GB Mos10 " 12 13 4 15 16 17 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cB cE cB cE jcB cE cB CE cM cB cm cB cM cB Yes Okay and you're gonna maybe go back to the house today and help her find. Yeah the others? Yeah Um, and we can sequeway into the fact that you yourself may have something that um, Casey had given you while you were in jail? Yeah, it was ah, um, | think you are the type of... it was um, I have to find it. I look for it though. It was a thank you um, letter. Okay, Yuri's gonna probably go more into depth about the time that you had spent down there in the jail and got to know her. Before we go into the jail there's @ couple of questions | wanted to go on what Eric talked about. Did George ever talk to you about the case? No. Did George ever talk to you and Krystal.. or I'm sorry, you and River, you and Krystal Yeah about the case like (inaudible) frustration that was or was not being done? Or what he was he was doing that law enforcement wasn't? Ireally never held... I mean I've held a conversation with George. But just in ah, it would never have to do... it had nothin’... never to do with the case. | didn't feel close enough to him. But my sister is the one that would know more about that. 19 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/6B \4os410 "1 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 | 2 22 23 24 25 cM cB cM cB cM cB cM CB cM cB cB cB What did your sister tell you about conversations she had with George about this case? Um, as far as what | found out last night? Well in general Or just. ..you know just.. just what did 1 what will your sister tell about what she talked about George. Well she, she never, she never, you know after that situation... after the last, after | went to the house and stuff that | said. | went back to my sister she was still mad at, | was furious, ‘Cause that’s when | found out that she had given him all that money. So, | told her at that time | didn’t want to speak to her about him anCMore. | don't want to hear anything that has to do with George. Um, and that was it So, | didn't.. we hadn't said anything to each other until you guys came knocking on the door yesterday. And. So... and after we left? Bult.. and so after you left she was in panic mode and kept telling me, um, there's stuff that | know. And I'm like well whatever you need to know you need to talk to the officers. But I said is it him and she didn't say... she was like, no. And | said, it's her? And she didn't say anything. So, | said it is her. And | said | knew it was her, 20 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \AdbO10 " 12 13, 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 24 22 23 24 25 cm cB cM |cB CE cB CE cB |cM cB cM Her meaning? The mother, the.. Cindy. Hm. And | said, she was like no I can't, | can't say anything. And | said, whatever you, whatever you know this is a child that's the child that’s dead you need to talk for her. It's Cindy or it's Casey? I'm sorry. You said it's her. Meaning the.. Cindy. | was trying to ask her if she knew, if she knew anything and when | said is it him meaning, did he have something to do with it? She told me no, And | said so, it was her, meaning Cindy. And she didn't say anything she just closed up. So, that's when I said whatever you know you need to tell them. And she was worried how you guys found her and, and um, well you know what she told you last night. But um, what | did... she did tell me that he did tell her that um, it was something about an accident, There was a comment that she made | don't know word for word. But she can tell it to you, but she did say something that he said, it's something about an accident. Accident. Accident a car accident or. No the death, the child being killed by accident. What, what did she tell you respect to an accident though? What did George say? Did he say he thought it was an accident or he knew it was an accident? What did she tell you? What did Krystal tell you? a Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \Mov\10 " 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 24 22 23 24. 25 cB cM cB cM cB cM CB CE cB CE cB CE cB That's what I'm saying she... it was it.. the way she said it she said, oh he said to her um, some.. something about it being an accident. It. it. it was.. or flew off the handle and it was an accident, was how she said it. And the way she's saying you believe it to be George describing what happened to Caylee the child? Yes. ‘And how that someone flew off the handle and as a result. And it was done... Right. Caylee got killed? Right. And did she describe to you how that may have occurred? She didn't tell me, | didn’t get too much... | told you | would talk to her last night Uh-huh. (affirmative).. She was really tired. This morning we just flew up and we just you know got up. But um, if you guys don't get it from her today I'll grill it out of her and I'll figure and I'll find out. What else did she tell you that she knew? Um, oh she told me that um, she.. | believe she was either there or she.. he told her about it after it happened when he grabbed | think it was Casey that she grabbed. that he grabbed by the neck or the mom. I'm, I'm not too sure. Like this case is not really something that I'm. So, when she talks about it | kind of just listen, but the on... so, |.. | don’t know if she said the father grabbed Casey 22 Cecela Benhaida/Case #08-74777/GB \voba.